The subject matter herein relates generally to a connector system.
Connectors are commonly used to interconnect electrical components together. For example, connectors are sometimes used to communicatively couple two printed circuits (sometimes referred to as “circuit boards”) together. To interconnect the printed circuits, a connector of one of the components is mated with a connector of the other component. Other systems use a connector to connect a cable to a printed circuit or to another connector at an end of another cable. As the connectors are mated together, the connectors communicate with each other. Connectors may communicate with each other by mechanical connection through electrical contacts, mechanical connection using fiber optics, wireless signal transmission, and the like.
The connectors typically include a plug and a receptacle. The plug and receptacle connectors hold the conductors in housings. The receptacle connectors have a housing that is open only at the mating interface between the two connectors. Known connectors are not without problems. For example, in some environments, such as when the connectors are being used outside or in other harsh environments, contaminants like dirt, mud, grease, and sand, and fluids like water and oil may get trapped within the receptor connector. Contaminants may enter the opening to the receptacle connector while the receptacle connector is disconnected from the plug connector, or while the connectors are mated if the mating interface is not sealed. Contaminants within housings can contaminate the conductor surface between conductors, at the least interrupting the connection and potentially permanently damaging the connectors themselves. Removal of the contaminants is difficult and time consuming. Tools used to remove the contaminants may damage the conductors. Some contaminants may be permanently trapped beneath the conductors.
A need remains for a connector system that allows contaminants to be easily removed from the connectors.